I can't
by Onyx Embers
Summary: My first Harry Potter fic. Hermione is having second thoughts the night before she gets married to Ron. Please read n review. rating only so high for dark thoughts


I can't

Hermione Granger, soon to be Hermione Weasley, sat up on the top of the Astronomy tower. Her and Ron had decided to have the wedding and reception at Hogwarts so everyone they knew could come. The war had ended the year before and it was just after graduation. They'd been planning for months and everyone was excited. Since it was the most anticipated wedding quite a few ministry officials were coming and even the Malfoy family were coming. Now, the night before the wedding, Hermione was having second thoughts. She sighed.

'Shouldn't you be getting some sleep for tomorrow?'

Hermione laughed.

'I probably should. What are you doing out here Draco?'

'Oh it's Draco now?'

Said Draco Malfoy sat down next to the bride-to-be.

'Why not. It is your name.'

'Yeah, but you've never called me Draco.'

'I did. First day we came here. First year, on the train. Before you found out I was a muggle-born.'

'Yeah. Guess that was my first mistake. The second being when I called you mudblood, the third when I irritated you so much that you punched me, the 4th when I joined the inquisitorial squad-'

'No mistakes in 4th year?'

'No. I really didn't annoy you as much that year. Might have something to do with your date to the Yule Ball. Piss him off you get beaten up. Crabbe learnt that the hard way.'

'What did he do?'

'He called you a mudblood in front of Krum.'

'So what other mistakes have you made including me?'

'6th year, I got drafted into the death eaters by my dad. I didn't want to do it but Voldemort threatened to kill my parents.'

'Your parents really do love you Draco.'

'Funny way of showing it.'

'Harry told me that if it wasn't for your mother lying to Voldemort about Harry being dead, then your parents never would have known that you were still alive in the castle.'

'What?'

'Harry told your mother that you were still alive in the castle. In return she told Voldemort that Harry was dead which gave Harry another chance to kill Voldemort.'

'I never knew that.'

'It's why your parents never had to go to Askaban when the war ended. They were more concerned for your safety so they abandoned the death eaters. Ron would throw a fit if he saw me right now. Talking to a family enemy.'

'If we're a family enemy then why were we invited to the wedding?'

'Molly and your mother became friends at the end of the war. You're only considered the family enemy by Ron. He never got over being prejudice towards you. I guess that's one of the reasons I'm doubting my decision.'

'Decision of what?'

'My decision to marry Ron. I'm not sure I love him. I'm not sure I ever did. It might just have been the war that pushed us together. Now I'm up here having second thoughts the night before my wedding. He may love me but I never loved him as more than a best friend. But it's too late to turn back. Maybe I can learn to love him.'

Hermione leant back and looked at the stars. Draco stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a letter.

'Well, I'm going to go get some sleep. You need to do the same. Oh if you get a chance, read this.'

Draco held out the letter which Hermione took. He then walked back down into the castle. Once he was out of sight Hermione opened the letter.

_Dear Granger,_

_Maybe I should call you Hermione since it is your name. I know that I've never been nice to you, Snape said it's because of the way I was brought up that I'm mean to girls to show affection. Obviously he had trouble with girls when he was in school. Yes I've had a crush on you since first year. I just didn't realise that's why I picked on you. Then in 3__rd__ year when you punched me I gained a whole new respect for you. From then I never called you mudblood to your face if I could help it. I eventually grew out of the crush some time during our 5__th__ year but only because it grew into something more. That's when my dad drafted me into the death eaters. He thought it might get rid of this affection for you. But it didn't. The affection just grew. I know that Potter figured it out. He noticed that I stopped picking on you, I stared at you in class and I sometimes blushed when caught staring at you. He confronted me about it but I told him he was going crazy. He didn't buy it. He convinced me to write this letter for you I was going to give it to you earlier in the year but then Weasley proposed to you. You can tell I've added to this over the past few months. It was only a few sentences long when I started. I know giving it to you the night before your wedding is the worst possible idea but I, okay Potter, noticed that you're having second thoughts about it. So here are my feelings on a bit of parchment._

_Love Draco._

The next morning Hermione was being rushed about the Transfiguration classroom to get ready. But she just kept zoning out. She thought back to the letter so many times that morning she didn't realise that Ginny had the wedding dress out for her to step into.

'Sorry Ginny. I've just got a lot on my mind.'

'Pre-wedding jitters?'

'No. It's something else. But don't worry I'll be fine.'

Soon came the ceremony. Hermione was stood outside the great hall in her strapless white wedding dress that poofed out at the waist making her look very princess, her hair curled and loose with a small tiara perched on her head which was attached to the veil that dropped to her waist, her frosted glass high heels, carrying a bouquet of white roses and white lilies. Ginny was talking to the other bridesmaids, Cho, Luna, Parvati and Lavender, when someone tapped Hermione on the shoulder. She spun round to come face to face with the writer of the letter.

'Draco.'

'Hi. I just wanted to tell you, before you go in, that you look very beautiful.'

'Thank you. Are you going to be in there?'

'I'm going to guess that you've read the letter, and do you really think that I'll be able to stand being in there, when you get married?'

'No.'

'Then I will not be in there. I will be out there.'

Draco pointed to the school grounds.

'Good luck.'

Draco gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek before going out into the grounds, closing the doors behind him. Hermione stood there until Kingsley Shacklebolt came up beside her.

'Ready?'

Hermione nodded. Her parents had been killed in the war so Kingsley took place of her father. She took Kingsley's arm as the wedding march began. The march lasted forever for Hermione as she saw everyone. All the professors, everyone in her year , most of Ginny's year, the entire Weasley family, some of the Durmstrang students, Viktor Krum, Fleur with her 8 month baby bump, Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin, the rest of the Order that had survived, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinett, Katie Bell, Oliver Wood, the DA members, Rita Skeeter, Harry as Ron's best man, and the Malfoy's.

Hermione thought of the letter all through the ceremony. It soon came to the almost end.

'Do you, Ronald, Billius Weasley, take this woman, Hermione Jean Granger to be your wife, according to God's holy decree; do you promise to be to her a loving and loyal husband, to cherish and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to her as long as you both shall live?'

'I do.'

'And do you, Hermione Jean Granger, take this man, Ronald Billius Weasley, to be your husband, according to God's holy decree; do you promise to be his a loving and loyal wife, to cherish and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to him as long as you both shall live?'

'I...'

Hermione thought of the letter and then to how she felt about Ron, who was waiting for her answer.

'I can't.'

'What?'

'I'm sorry Ron.'

Hermione took off her shoes and gave then to Ginny.

'I just don't love you that way. I think of you like a brother. Nothing more.'

Hermione removed her engagement ring and gave it to Ron, closing his fingers round it.

'I'm really sorry.'

With that Hermione ran back down the aisle, through the doors of the great hall and then burst through the doors of the entrance hall. She continued running until she got to the black lake. Stood, with the trousers he was wearing rolled up to his knees, was one Draco Malfoy, skimming rocks. His tie undone, his suit jacket thrown over a rock near by, the first 3 buttons of his shirt undone and his hair messed up that Hermione could only imagine was from him constantly running his hands through it, he looked perfect. She hoisted her many layers of netting the skirt of her dress had, Hermione ran into the shallows of the black lake. Once stood right by Draco she dropped the skirts into the water.

'Hey.'

Draco looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

'Shouldn't you be getting married right now?'

'I would be if I hadn't run out to see you.'

Draco dropped the rocks.

'What?'

'I never loved Ron more than a brother. I realised that from the moment I woke up this morning.'

'Really?'

'Yep. He now knows it as does almost every person I've ever met, well, everyone at the wedding.'

'And now?'

'There's something I need to tell you. I had a crush on you in first year too. And it grew as well which is why I got so angry and upset when you kept picking on me. I just kept denying it. Your letter made me realise it. Draco, I love you.'

Draco lifted his hands to Hermione's face. He drew her closer, and closer, until...

'CUT!'

Both looked over at the dark skinned Slytherin sat in the directors chair.

'Now that was brilliant. Granger I refuse the fact that you have never acted before. This is going to be the best student film ever!! If Snape doesn't give us an Outstanding for this I will personally kill him. Maybe i'll poison him with one of his many poisons. or make him watch Barney the purple dinosaur a couple hundred times.'

Once Hermione was out of the lake she walked over to the director.

'I still don't understand why I had to go into the lake like this. Long dresses plus water is not very good Zabini.'

'Oh get over it Granger. Be happy you got to be with me and Draco on the project. We've been acting most of our lives. Imagine if you got stuck with Crabbe and Goyle.'

'Yeah, okay that would be bad. Now can I get out of this dress?'

'Sure. I'll clean this up in editing and we'll give it in on Monday.'

**Bet you didn't see that coming. This is my first Harry Potter fic to don't get angry at me if it sucks. Please Review. Oh and I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. ONYX**


End file.
